The History of the Estonian Garden

25.90 

The updated edition of the book includes new plant profiles and other updated information—a total of 48 additional pages!

How have our home gardens evolved? What is truly Estonian? Why do ancient trees still grow near country homes, and why do spruce and lilac groves mark former homesteads? How did the old, beloved farm flowers and the best varieties find their way into our gardens? Who has influenced the development of these gardens? While we have studied horticulture in various fields, until now there has been no comprehensive overview of the development of home gardens—in other words, the “history of the Estonian garden.” Alongside her work at the Estonian Open Air Museum, Anneli Banner has researched precisely this, focusing on the period from the second half of the 19th century through the 1980s.
Home gardens embody the aspirations and dreams of earlier generations; gardens are bearers of culture. Fruit and ornamental gardens were first established by peasants who had become freeholders, for whom garden produce provided additional income. By the time of the Estonian National Awakening, a garden was already considered part of a successful home; in the pre-war Republic of Estonia, garden design was shaped by national pride and the movement to beautify homes. During the Soviet era, people could feel like masters of their own land on a plot in a communal garden or a horticultural cooperative.
These are all different facets of the history of our home gardens. The author examines how economic and political circumstances, as well as the financial and social status of gardeners, have shaped the appearance of our gardens and what the garden has meant to people. In addition to published sources, Anneli Banner has drawn on materials from various museums and archives, as well as information gathered during fieldwork.

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